Musical workshops for LRHS students interested in the school musical, Hairspray took place Monday Jan. 7 and Wednesday Jan. 9.
The song, monologue and dance workshops provide students valuable perspective for what is expected in an audition.
Tatianna Shumoski, sophomore, describes the workshop as “a really nice experience because they inform you what to do at auditions, and how to increase your chances of getting in the show. If I hadn’t gone, I don’t think I would be as prepared.”
The monologue and song workshops were a combined effort of Ms. Covington, choral director, and Ms. Catania, theater arts teacher.
The monologue Catania chose, Mary, is from the play Voices from the High School. The suggested singing audition pieces are “Put on a Happy Face” for women, and “Rosie” for men, from the musical Bye Bye Birdie. Covington has a website where both songs’ accompaniment are available for download.
Shumoski found the workshops “not as challenging, but helpful because Ms. Cov taught us the song really well, and Catania tells you exactly how she wants the monologue performed.”
Unlike learning music and monologue, many students find choreography in the dance workshop challenging. Students danced to “Ladies Choice”, a song from Hairspray.
Shumoski says, “The dance was the most challenging, especially if you’re not a dancer. There were so many people in a crammed space trying to perform the moves; it was easier in groups, and helped a lot.”
Ms. Hoban, dance teacher, feels those trying out should consider all auditions, regardless of a particular ability or inability. She tells students the key to a good audition is to be confident and push past performance anxiety.
